Language and Grammar, continued

  • 1 TRY OUT LANGUAGE

  • 2 LEARN GRAMMAR

  • 3 APPLY ON YOUR OWN

Use Complete Sentences

A complete sentence expresses a complete thought. It has two parts: the subject and a predicate.

Inventors Subject solve problems. Predicate

To find the parts in most sentences, ask yourself:

  • 1. Whom or what is the sentence about? Your answer is the subject.

  • 2. What does the subject do? Your answer is the predicate.

SentenceWhom or What?What Does the Subject Do?
My friend won first prize at the science fair.My friendwon first prize.

Incorrect: Won first prize at the science fair!

Correct: My friend won first prize at the science fair!

Practice Together

Match each subject to a predicate. Say the new sentence.

1. My inventionhelps students.
2. Studentsneeds wheels.
3. A textbookhurt their shoulders.
4. The backpacksweighs a lot!
5. The backpackcarry a lot of books in their backpacks.

Try It!

Match each subject to a predicate. Write the complete sentences on a piece of paper.

6. An inventionsketch their ideas.
7. Inventorssolves a problem.
8. A sketchmake people’s lives easier!
9. Then the inventorbuilds the invention.
10. Inventionsshows what the invention looks like.
The inventor plans her invention.

The inventor plans her invention.